Monday, 20 February 2017

I have to admit that I'm a wimp when it comes to hot weather. I do my best to avoid being out and about in the intense heat of the Brisbane summer. This means that I do very little urban sketching from December through to March.

Yesterday however, I joined a group at the Brookfield Show Grounds. When out sketching, a quick stop for coffee is always first on the agenda. The Cafe` has a lovely shaded area at the rear of the building with large ceiling fans. An extra bonus was the cool breeze. From where I was sitting, I had a good view of the Brookfield Hall built in 1871. The decision to stay there all morning to sketch was easy.

My second sketch involved nothing more complicated than sitting on the other side of the table so I could draw a view of the Cafe.

Every few minutes, when the ink flow stopped, I would have to unscrew the body, wind the convertor up to push the last drops of ink on to the pen's feed - laborious and frustrating! A water brush created the washes. In spite of my struggles with the ink, I like the looseness of the lines.

A delicious lunch, a few sketches and good company made for a very pleasant morning.

Sunday, 5 February 2017

On Thursday evening I was given the opportunity to host members of the Hills & Districts Chamber of Commerce. It was the first Business Showcase for 2017. The Studio was re-arranged; different paintings hung; and selected sketchbooks, cards and calendars displayed.

My guests had a chance to see inside an artist's studio with bubbles and nibbles to accompany their browsing. I had the opportunity (with a captive audience 😊) to talk about my life and art; sharing a little about my life growing up in South Africa and the decision to move to Australia six years ago.

I discussed the process of a painting from the initial inspiration through to the execution and completion. To a non-artist this process might seem mysterious so I showed how I use reference sketches and photographs to organise the design of the artwork.

Members of the Hills Chamber of Commerce come from a wide range of professional practices - providing comprehensive support to the local community. The Chamber meets for breakfast once a month. Mission StatementThe Hills and Districts Chamber of Commerce exists to support its members to achieve profitable and sustainable businesses and effective not-for-profit organisations.The members are wonderfully supportive and encouraging. If you live in the north of Brisbane and want to learn more about the Chamber, here's a link to the website. Alternatively, please contact me and perhaps come to a meeting.

I'd like to thank the Hills Chamber for giving me this opportunity to Showcase my art practice.